Mohamed Salah ‘frightened' to return to Liverpool following Diogo Jota's death

Independent

7 hours ago

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah admits he is fearful of what awaits when he returns to the club in the wake of Diogo Jota's death.
The club, fans and football as a whole are in mourning after the 28-year-old Portugal forward and his brother Andre Silva were killed in a car crash in Spain in the early hours of Thursday.
Players were due back this weekend to begin the preliminaries of pre-season. However, the first tranche of the phased return scheduled for Friday has been postponed.
"I am truly lost for words. Until yesterday, I never thought there would be something that would frighten me of going back to Liverpool after the break," Salah wrote on social media.
"Team mates come and go but not like this. It's going to be extremely difficult to accept that Diogo won't be there when we go back.
"My thoughts are with his wife, his children, and of course his parents who suddenly lost their children.
"Those close to Diogo and his brother Andre need all the support they can get. They will never be forgotten."
Mourners gathered at a wake in Portugal on Friday morning, ahead of the brothers' funeral at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar in Sao Cosme at 10am on Saturday.
Former Liverpool captain and team-mate Jordan Henderson joined the thousands of mourners to have laid a tribute at the temporary shrine which has built up outside Anfield.
"Jots it was a pleasure to share a pitch with you but more importantly a friendship. All the laughs we had off the pitch and trying to find ways to wind milly up and get him fined, which we never could," the England midfielder wrote on Instagram.
"Taking pictures of me asleep on the bus travelling then sending them to me later. You always wanted to have a laugh and were a pleasure to be around.
"I know how much Rute and your family meant to you and I know you will always be looking down on them. Thank you for everything you brought into this world, we will all miss you."
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot said everyone associated with the club owed it to Jota to "stand together and be there for one another".
"For us as a club, the sense of shock is absolute. Diogo was not just our player. He was a loved one to all of us. He was a team-mate, a colleague, a workmate and in all of those roles he was very special.
"We need everyone at the club to stand together and to be there for one another. We owe this to Diogo, to Andre Silva, to their wider family and to ourselves."
Jota's team-mates have spoken of the struggle to comprehend his death, with captain Virgil van Dijk writing on Instagram he was "absolutely devastated and in total disbelief".
"What a human being, what a player, but most importantly what an unbelievable family man," he added.
"A champion forever, number 20 forever. It's been a privilege to have stood by your side on the pitch, and to have been your friend off it.
Andy Robertson, who attended Jota's wedding to long-term partner Rute Cardoso less than a fortnight ago, posted: "I can't believe we're saying goodbye. It's too soon, and it hurts so much. But thank you for being in my life, mate - and for making it better."
"Heartbroken" former manager Jurgen Klopp, for whom his Christian faith has played a big part in his life, wrote on Instagram: "This is a moment where I struggle! There must be a bigger purpose! But I can't see it!"
Liverpool, who are supporting Jota's family, have opened a book of condolence, both physical in the Anfield Road Stand and online, lowered flags to half-mast and closed all stores and the museum and suspended all tours until Monday.
Fans continue to leave flowers, scarves and shirts outside Anfield and there are similar scenes at Wolves' Molineux Stadium, where Jota spent three years before his move to Liverpool.